Master Teachers as Instructional Leaders: An Instrumental Case Study

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to understand the role of the master teacher as an instructional leader in South Carolina schools implementing the System for Teacher and Student Advancement, formerly known as the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP). This qualitative study sought to explain the role of the master teacher, how the master teacher assumes the role of an instructional leader, what support is provided by the master teacher, what issues master teachers face as instructional leaders as well as how the master teacher enhances the school environment. The focal participant in this study was a SC TAP master teacher with 12 years\u27 experience in this position. The main sources of data included reports, artifacts, and multiple interviews with the participant and stakeholders who observed the master teacher including teachers, principals, and state level employees. All data were analyzed through categorical aggregation and direct interpretation from which themes were formed. The themes that emerged were an overarching umbrella of support provided by the master teacher, the pedagogy necessary for the master teacher to embed authentic application of skills into the school environment, and the characteristics necessary for these to exist